SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, GTO.

El nombre de San Miguel de Allende se deriva de los nombres de Fray Juan

de San Miguel, fundador de la poblacin y de Ignacio Allende, caudillo de
nuestra Independencia nacional.
Fundada el ao de 1542 por Fray Juan de San Miguel, cuando en aquel entonces era un pueblo
que careca de agua, por lo que se le abasteca de un manantial cercano llamado Izquinapan que
traducido al castellano significa "Ro de perros", y el cual es hoy conocido como "Manantiales
del Chorro".
El 18 de julio de 1561 el Virrey Don Luis de Velasco (padre), autoriz al alcalde mayor de la
jurisdiccin que concediera una cantidad de hectreas para la cra de ganado, y las caballeras de
tierra solicitados por los vecinos y moradores. Adems, a los indgenas que habitaran en ella se les
perdonara el tributo y seran gobernados por sus propios jefes para evitar rebeliones futuras.

La poblacin fue elevada a la categora de ciudad, el 8 de marzo de 1826 (durante el primer

sistema federalista), por decreto del Congreso Constituyente, con el nombre de San Miguel de
Allende.
En el siglo XVIII y primera dcada del siglo XIX, San Miguel era un centro mercantil, industrial
y agrcola de mucha importancia, actividades que se incrementaron con los fundos mineros de
Guanajuato, San Luis Potos y Zacatecas.
El Comit de Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO (2008) aprob la inscripcin de la ciudad de
San Miguel de Allende en el listado internacional en la categora de Bien Cultural, bajo el rubro
de Ciudad Histrica.
Al ser electa esta ciudad del Bajo, Mxico con 10 sitios reconocidos, es el pas con mayor
nmero de bienes culturales en tal listado internacional.
San Miguel de Allende alcanz su apogeo en el siglo XVIII, poca en la que se construyeron numerosos edificios religiosos y
civiles de estilo barroco mexicano. Algunos de ellos son obras maestras del estilo de transicin entre el barroco y el neoclsico.
Por su parte, el santuario de Jess Nazareno de Atotonilco, construido por los jesuitas a unos 14 km de San Miguel, data tambin
del siglo XVIII y es uno de los ejemplos ms hermosos de la arquitectura y el arte barrocos de la Nueva Espaa

Father Juan de San Miguel, a Franciscan missionary who was born in Spain, founded San
Miguel de Allende in 1542. The original settlement of San Miguel was an Indian mission near
the present railroad station, and was named for Father Juans own patron saint. It was known
as San Miguel Viejo. During the later part of the 16th Century, the settlement was moved near
the springs of El Chorro. The town flourished with farming, ranching and tanneries. San Miguel
Viejo became San Miguel Grande.
The heroes of the independence movement were born in San Miguel Grande: General Ignacio
Allende, Father Miguel Hidalgo, Jos Mariano Jimnez, and Juan Aldama.
Allende joined forces with Father Hidalgo (the parish priest in nearby Dolores).
On September 16, 1810, Father Hidalgo delivered his Cry of Independence speech (El Grito).
The cry led to revolution.
On March 8, 1826, the Guanajuato state government honored Allendes heroism by renaming
San Miguel El Grande to San Miguel de Allende. In 1926, it was declared a national monument
that preserves the historical nature of this colonial town.

With the establishment in the 1950s of the Instituto Allende, an art and language school, the
foreign population began to grow in San Miguel. Now it is known as a haven for artists, writers
and students of language, cooking and the arts. It is also known for its colorful fiestas,
bullfights and as a destination for those attending the Day of the Dead and Easter
ceremonies. As a major cultural center, San Miguel hosts many events including the
International Short Film festival, the Guitar Festival and the Chamber Music Festival. In 2008,
San Miguel was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It has consistently been
voted by the readers of Conde Nast Traveller as one of the top ten travel destinations.
You will find San Miguel de Allende charming, courteous, friendly and remarkably wellpreserved. We hope that this book will help you to enjoy and learn about San Miguel and its
surrounding areas such as Guanajuato, Pozos, San Gabriel, Dolores Hidalgo and Quertaro. We
invite you to return and experience some of the beautiful festivals that are unique to our
town.
During the late 1700s, San Miguel de Allende was situated at the crossroads of the lucrative
silver trade in Mexico. The Dragones of San Miguel, an elite calvary of the queens army,
garnered much influence and power in business and trade throughout the region. The
Dragones eventually began questioning the heavy taxes imposed on the Mexican people, and
formed alliances with influential leaders in the church, including Father Hidalgo, to seek
independence from Spain. General Ignacio Allende, head of the army and leader of the
Dragones, worked closely with Father Hidalgo to spark one of the movements that eventually
led to the Mexican Independence of 1810.

El 1 de noviembre de 2013 fue nombrada por la revista Condenast Traveler como la mejor ciudad del mundo
junto con otras 24 ciudad que son reconocidas por su gran aportacion cultural, belleza arquitectonica, y lugares
de diversion.
San Miguel cuenta con numerosas iglesias catlicas con fachadas hermosas de cantera, pero la ms
espectacular, la Parroquia de San Miguel Arcngel, Convertida en el smbolo de la ciudad; esta interesante mole
de cantera rosa, fue construida en el siglo XVIII con una portada en estilo barroco. Hacia 1880 se le sobrepuso
la nueva fachada neogtica, realizada por el maestro Ceferino Gutirrez, en la que sorprende la genial
disposicin de arcos ojivales, columnas y nichos con esculturas estilizadas.

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE

Poblacin fundada en 1542 con el nombre de San Miguel el Grande, por fray Juan de San Miguel, recibi la categora de ciudad el
8 de marzo de 1826. En el siglo XVIII y la primer dcada del siglo XIX, la ciudad se convirti en importante centro comercial,
industrial y agrcola, gracias a los fundos mineros (fincas rsticas) de Guanajuato, San Luis Potos y Zacatecas, pues era paso
obligado para el traslado de la plata hacia la ciudad de Mxico y punto de abastecimiento de toda clase de mercancas destinadas
a las poblaciones de la regin.
Atotonilco, tambin patrimonio mundial.

San Miguel el Grande (como se llamaba originalmente) fue fundada por un monje franciscano en
1542. Era una importante parada en la ruta de la plata de Zacatecas.
Cuando la Guerra de la Independencia Mexicana comenz en el pueblo cercano de Dolores (ahora
conocido como Dolores Hidalgo), el 16 de Septiembre de 1810 con el acto que ahora se celebra
como "El Grito", el ejrcito militar que creca rpidamente lleg a San Miguel el Grande. Dolores
Hidalgo es conocido como "La cuna de la Independencia" mientras que a San Miguel lo llamaron
"Fragua de la Independencia Mexicana" porque aqu fue donde el General Ignacio Allende se
uni al ejercito como principal teniente delPadre Miguel Hidalgo y condujo al ejrcito a varias
victorias. Allende no pudo disfrutar de un Mxico independiente de la opresin espaola pues lo
capturaron durante una batalla y fue ejecutado. Sin embargo, l es ahora un hroe nacional y el
pueblo se renombr como "San Miguel de Allende" en 1826 en honor a sus heroicas acciones.

Mientras la abundancia mineral disminua, San Miguel

se haca popular por ser un lugar tranquilo y bello para
vivir y una atraccin para los adinerados por sus aguas
termales naturales. El actor mundialmente famoso
Cantinflas, frecuentaba SanMiguel en los cincuentas y
sesentas trayendo con l un sequito
de estrellas de cine y cantantes.
Para el ao
morir.
letreros
conserva la

de 1900, el pueblo estuvo apunto de

Habiendo sido declarado como monumento nacional en 1926 (sin
luminosos, ni edificios modernos), el viejo centro histrico an
elegancia colonial de su abundante pasado.

Fue despus
de la Segunda Guerra Mundial que San Miguel comenz a revivir
como
atraccin turstica, mientras que muchos GIs descubran que sus
becas educacionales se extendan ms en Mxico en la escuela de arte acreditada por EE.UU. El
Instituto Allende, fundado en 1950.
San Miguel de Allende es mundialmente famoso por su clima templado, su arquitectura colonial,
y la gran poblacin expatriada, la cual se estima esta en un rango de 9,000-10,000 extranjeros.
De los cuales, la mayora son Estadounidenses, con un buen porcentaje de Canadienses, y unos
pocos Europeos y de otras nacionalidades. Mucha gente ha elegido jubilarse aqu, y as la gran
comunidad de extranjeros ha trado un buen nmero de conveniencias que normalmente no
encontraras en un pueblo de este tamao:

San Miguel de Allende esta ubicado en la regin montaosa del centro de Mxico, es parte del
Bajo y del estado de Guanajuato. Esta "baja" regin en realidad esta a 3000 metros, pero se
conoce por ser un rea relativamente plana rodeada de montaas.

Poblacin se estima de 9,000-10,000 extranjeros. De ellos la mayoria son

Estadounidenses, con un buen porcentaje de Canadienses, y unos pocos
Europeos y de otras nacionalidades.
Patrimonio de la Humanidad
En San Miguel el Grande, el general Ignacio Allende originario de este bello pueblo, se uni al padre Miguel Hidalgo es su lucha por
conseguir la independencia, es por eso que este hermoso lugar lo llamaron la Fragua de la Independencia Mexicana

Durante su visita a Mxico en 2004, el Dalai Lama consagr la reserva de El Charco del Ingenio como una de las cinco
zonas de paz as declaradas en distintos puntos del pas, consistentes en espacios libres de violencia, dedicados a la
conservacin de la naturaleza y al desarrollo comunitario.

Histricamente, la ciudad es importante por ser la cuna de Ignacio Allende, cuyo apellido fue aadido al nombre de la
ciudad en 1826, as como el primer municipio declarado independiente del gobierno espaol por el naciente ejrcito
insurgente durante la Guerra de Independencia de Mxico.
Sin embargo, la ciudad decay durante y despus de la guerra, y en el comienzo del siglo 20, estaba en peligro de
convertirse en un pueblo fantasma. Sus estructuras coloniales barrocas / neoclsica fueron descubiertas por los
artistas extranjeros que llegaron y empezaron institutos de arte y culturales, como el Instituto Allende y la Escuela de
Bellas Artes. Esto le dio a la ciudad una reputacin, atrayendo a artistas como David Alfaro Siqueiros, quien fue
maestro de pintura.
Esto atrajo a estudiantes extranjeros de arte, sobre todo antiguos soldados estadounidenses que estudian en el G.I.
Bill despus de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Desde entonces, la ciudad ha atrado a un gran nmero de jubilados

extranjeros, artistas, escritores y turistas, lo que ha cambiando la economa del rea, de la agricultura y la industria al
comercio y servicios para los visitantes externos y residentes.

Para la dcada de 1900, San Miguel de Allende estuvo a punto de convertirse en un pueblo fantasma.
En 1926 fue declarado monumento histrico por el Gobierno mexicano, por lo que desde entonces el desarrollo
en el distrito histrico est restringido para conservar el carcter colonial del pueblo.
Durante la dcada de 1950, San Miguel de Allende se convirti en un lugar turstico conocido por su bella
arquitectura colonial y sus fuentes termales. Despus de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, San Miguel comenz a
revivir sus atractivos tursticos cuando muchos soldados norteamericanos fuera de servicio descubrieron que
los servicios educativos de instituciones de EE. UU.acreditaban al Instituto Allende (fundado en 1950), por lo
que se garantizaba la educacin de su familia, dado lo cual empezaron a pasar largas temporadas en esta
ciudad.
By 1900, due to the decline in silver mining, San Miguel de Allende was in danger of becoming a ghost town.
However, showing great forethought, the Mexican Government declared San Miguel a National Historic Monument in
1926. Development in the historic district has been restricted in order to preserve the town's colonial character. This
act was pivotal to the growth of the beautiful city we know today.
American ex-servicemen first arrived in 1946 to study at the art school. By the end of 1947, Life magazine assigned a
reporter and photographer to do an article on this post-war phenomenon. A three-page spread appeared in the
January 5, 1948, edition under the headline GI Paradise: Veterans go to Mexico to study art, live cheaply and have a
good time. This was possible when apartments rented for $10 dollars a month, rum was 65 cents a quart and
cigarettes cost 10 cents a pack. As a result of the publicity, more than 6,000 American veterans immediately applied to
study at the school.
In 2002 was declared a Pueblo Magico and in 2008, San Miguel and the nearby sacred town of Atotonilco achieved
Unesco World Heritage status.
2010 is a very important year for Mexico for two reasons: the 200th anniversary of Mexico's fight for independence
from Spain and the 100th anniversary of its revolution.
Ruta 2010 - Route 2010: Will mark several routes along highways throughout Mexico that were traveled either during
Mexico's War of Independence or the Mexican Revolution. The routes will be marked with special signs and there will
be historical information as well as historical information available along the way. Six routes have been chosen, three
from the independence movement and three from the Revolution. The road between San Miguel de Allende and
Delores Hidalgo is one of those routes.

The city has been known by various names since the Spanish founded the settlement. It was called Izcuinapan
by the indigenous peoples. The Spanish originally called it San Miguel el Grande and sometimes San Miguel de
losChichimecas.
Before the arrival of the Spanish in the early 16th century, there had been an indigenous settlement at
Izcuinapan (place of dogs). A small chapel was built and a village started near the indigenous village.
The arrival and colonization provoked the locals. The Chichimecas began attacking Spanish travelers in the area
and in 1551, the Guamare people attacked the village proper. This and continuous water supply problems
caused the original location to be abandoned and moved.
The village was officially re-established in 1555 at a place with two fresh water springs (called Batan and
Izcuinapan) and with terrain better suited for defense. The two springs supplied all of the town's water until the
1970s.
By the mid 16th century, silver had been discovered in Zacatecas and a major road between this area and
Mexico City passed through San Miguel. Indigenous attacks on caravans continued and San Miguel became an
important military and commercial site. To quell these attacks as well as rebellions against Spanish rule, the
viceroy in Mexico City granted lands and cattle to a number of Spanish to have them settle the area.
Eventually, major roads would connect the town with the mining communities in San Luis Potos as well as
Zacatecas and the rest of the state of Guanajuato. Serving travelers' needs and providing supplies to mining
camps made the town rich. One particular industry was textiles. Locals claim that the serape was invented here.

[5]

By the mid 18th century the city reached its height, when most of its large mansions, palaces and religious
buildings were constructed. Most still remain.[4][8] The town was also home to the area's wealthy hacienda
owners.
The town's apogee came during the transition period between Baroque and Neoclassical architecture and many
of the mansions and churches have both influences.
The prominence of the city declined at the beginning of the 19th century, mostly due to the Mexican War of
Independence. However, it played an important early role in this conflict.
When this conspiracy was discovered, the warning to Hidalgo and Allende passed through this town and
onto Dolores (Hidalgo) just to the north. This prompted Hidalgo's "Grito de Dolores" assembling the insurgent
army on 15 and 16 September 1810. The new insurgent army first came to San Miguel, stopping at a
religious sanctuary in Atotonilco just outside. Hidalgo took a standard bearing an image of the Virgin of
Guadalupe from here to use as a symbol. Then the army entered San Miguel proper, to name officers and to free
prisoners in the local jail.
While there was no other military action in the area, economically the town waned as agriculture suffered and
the population declined. This continued for most of the rest of the 19th century
There was some economic recovery near the end of the 19th century during the rule of Porfirio Daz. During this
time, dams, aqueducts and railroads were built. However, decline returned with the end of mining in almost all of
the state of Guanajuato. Between this and the beginning of the Mexican Revolution, San Miguel almost became
a ghost town.
_______________________
Despite their rural location, both schools would find success after the Second World War. U.S. veterans studying
under the G.I. Bill were permitted to study abroad, and these schools took advantage, attracting former soldiers
as students. Enrollment at the schools rose and this began the town's cultural reputation. [5] This attracted more
artists and writers, including Jos Chvez Morado and David Alfaro Siqueiros, who taught painting at the
Escuela de Bellas Artes.[3][12] This, in turn, spurred the opening of hotels, shops and restaurants to cater to the
new visitors and residents.[5] Many of the American veterans who came to study in San Miguel would later come
back to retire, thus beginning the towns reputation as an American enclave in Mexico. [13] These Americans have
been credited with saving the town
The growing attraction of the town and its colonial buildings created a vibrant real estate market, which until
recently has not been affected by Mexicos economic ups and downs. Many of the old "ruins" of colonial houses
have sold. This has prompted the very recent creation of mortgages on San Miguel properties financed by U.S.
mortgage companies for American and Canadian buyers. Prior, house purchases were done in cash, which
made property out of reach for many. The last peak of real estate sales came in 2007, with 180 units sold with a
median price of 250,000 USD totaling 45 million.
At the entrance of the city are statues of Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, Miguel Hidalgo and Josefa Ortiz de
Dominguez, with one of the Archangel Michael in the center.[17] While the outlying areas of the town and
municipality have changed over time, the historic center remains much as it was 250 years ago. Many of the
larger structures have large front doors which used to be used by horses and carriages
At night, many wander the narrow streets with relative safety.[20] The people on the streets are a mix of
Mexicans, foreigners and indigenous. Its cultural and artistic reputation has brought many people from Mexico
and abroad here to live.[21] Several publications have named it one of the top 10 places to retire.
Since the 1920s, steps have been taken to preserve the historic centers charm. The first set of protections was
put into place by the INAH when it was declared a national monument. This required that all restorations and
new construction conform to the area's colonial architecture.[2][9] To preserve the citys trademark colonial look, a
civil society regulates the renovation and maintenance of the city, especially its historic center. This includes
aspects such as traffic, garden spaces and even the kinds of social events that may be held. Recent designation
as a World Heritage site, along with the religious sanctuary in nearby Atotonilco, also puts restrictions and
protections into place
Estimates of foreign residents range from 8,000 to 12,000 with about 7,000 of these from the United States
alone.[11][19][20][25][26] This makes San Miguel one of the largest American communities in Mexico,[11][26] large enough
to warrant its own U.S. consulate to provide services such as notary and passport. [27] The large foreign presence

has established a number of institutions here. The most noted one is the Biblioteca Publica, which has the
second largest English language book collection in Mexico, located in the former convent of Santa Ana.
The oldest part of the town is the El Chorro neighborhood. This is where the village of San Miguel was moved to
in 1555. The Nahuatl name for the area was Izcuinapan or place of dogs, and according to legend, dogs led
Juan de San Miguel to this area to find this spring. This area is the home of the Parish of San Miguel, the Jardin
Principal or Main Garden and an earlier church called the San Rafael or Santa Escuela Church.
The current parish church of San Miguel (Parroquia Sn. Miguel Arcngel) is unique in Mexico and the
emblem of the town.[18] It has a Neo-gothic facade with two tall towers that can be seen from most parts of town.
Built in the 17th century with a traditional Mexican facade. The current Gothic facade was constructed in 1880
by Zeferino Gutierrez, who was an indigenous bricklayer and self-taught architect.
LA PARROQUIA ORIGINAL
De forma casi inmediata a la fundacin de la villa de San Miguel el Grande hoy, de Allende- (1555), se construy el
templo parroquial. Segn un documento de 1649, la iglesia de San Miguel el Grande se derrumb tras un grave
deterioro. Hacia 1680 y 1690 la parroquia se encontraba nuevamente en ruinas, por lo que se puso en marcha otro
proyecto arquitectnico que culmin aprox. en 1709, pero con una apariencia de estilo barroco, totalmente distinta a la
fachada de estilo Neogtico que apreciamos hoy da.
Se sabe que en 1683 se haba concluido ya el cuerpo principal de la iglesia, aunque se encontraba deteriorado un muro,
adems de que le faltaba la torre y el retablo del altar mayor. La obra fu dirigida por el arquitecto Marco Antonio
Sobraras de acuerdo a los parmetros, normas y estilo establecido en la poca: el barroco.
LA PARROQUIA ADQUIERE UN NUEVO ROSTRO
Entre 1880 y 1890, un maestro cantero de la ciudad Don Zeferino Gutirrez, (parece ser que a peticin de un obispo)
construy una nueva fachada de acuerdo a uno de los estilos artsticos de la poca, inspirndose en las grandes obras
arquitectnicas de estilo Gtico de la Europa Medieval. Fue por este proyecto que se derribaron las torres construidas
entre los s. XVII y XVIII para sustituirlas por las que se conservan en la actualidad. Se transform la portada, los nichos,
la ventana coral, e incluso el atrio, la torre campanario del reloj y los altares del interior.
Para muchos este estilo nunca ha encontrado el equilibrio con la plaza colonial que la envuelve, sin embargo, se le dot
de una personalidad a "la Parroquia" que tal vez no hubiera obtenido de otra forma.

Two centuries after La Parroquia was built, Mexico's first native-born bishop and San Miguel
native ordered a new facade. Rather than hiring a traditionally trained architect, the local
parish priest chose another San Miguel native, Ceferino Gutierrez, a mason and builder, to
create what the untrained Gutierrez viewed to be a Gothic structure. Each morning the
illiterate Gutierrez would draw the day's work in the sand in front of the church and his
masons would add what he drew to the slowly rising tower
In front of La Parroquia and St. Rafael's (the adjoining church) rises a small monument to the
first bishop of Leon, native Miguelino Jose Maria de Jesus Diez de Sollano y Davalos. Sollano
was the first native-born Mexican to become a bishop in 1863
San Miguel has at least 87 church bells plus numerous others in some of the public buildings.
The Parroquia boasts the loudest bell in town, nicknamed "Miguel
At the entrance of the main church, there is an inscription that states that Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and his
brother Jose Joaquin served as priests here. There is another one acknowledging Gutierrezs work on the
facade.[30] The interior of the church still has the original 17th century layout and interior design, [4] but the church
was looted several times during Mexico's history so much of its decoration is lost. The sacristy contains a
painting depicting the founding of the town in 1542 and its subsequent move to Izcuinapan in the El Chorro
neighborhood.
In front of the church complex is the Plaza Allende, popularly known as Jardin Principal or Main Garden, but
most often referred to simply as el jardin.

Lucky visitors can find their way down to the usually locked crypt below the main altar. Aqu
yacen los restos mortales de Francisco Tresguerras (arq. de la cripta), algunos de los prrocos
de la parroquia, y Anastacio Bustamente (Presidente de Mxico poco despus de la guerra de
independencia)
In addition to the parish, other important structures, such as the Ignacio Allende House, the Canal House and
the municipal palace.

The Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramiez, also called the Escuela de Bellas Artes or El Nigromante, is housed in
the former Hermanas de la Concepcin (Sisters of the Conception) convent. [18] The Concepcion convent and
adjoining church were founded by a member of the De la Canal family in 1775. The cultural center today is part
of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (INBA) and is often referred to by locals as "Bellas Artes."
One hall of the old convent has a mural by David Alfaro Siqueiros, which was not finished since the institution did
not last too much.
Next to the cultural center is the Inmaculada Concepcion Church, locally known as Las Monjas (The Nuns). It
was originally constructed as part of the convent. The church was constructed between 1755 and 1842 with an
elegant cupola added by Zeferino Gutierrez in 1891, inspired by the Les Invalides Church in Paris
The Casa de Allende (Allende House) Museum was the home of Ignacio Allende, who was a principal
protagonist in the early part of the Mexican War of Independence. The structure was built in 1759 with Baroque
and Neoclassical elements, located next to the San Miguel parish church. [
This kind of museum focuses on the history of the local area from the prehistoric period to the present,
especially the areas role in Mexicos national history.[18]The lower floor contains exhibits about the founding of
the town, its role in protecting the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Road and more. The upper floor contains
exhibits related to the of Ignacio Allende and some of the rooms are preserved as they looked when he lived
there.[31] There are 24 rooms that chronicle the history of the area from the foundation of the town to the Ruta de
la Plata (Silver Route), the genealogy of Ignacio Allende and the Mexican War of Independence. It remodeled as
part of the preparations for Mexico's Bicentennial. The restored museum was re-inaugurated by President Felipe
Calderon in 2009.
The Casa del Mayorazgo de la Canal dates from the 18th century, constructed by Mariano Loreto de la Canal y
Landeta.[2] During the late colonial period, this house was the most important secular building, being home to the
De la Canal family, one of the richest in New Spain.[ Today, it houses the Casa de Cultura
de Banamex (Banamex Cultural Center) which houses a collection of historic paintings and offers diverse
expositions during the year.[21][31]
municipal palace. It was first constructed in 1736 this building was heavily damaged several times since then
and little of the original structure remains. The current building has two floors. It is home to what is considered to
be the first independent local government in Mexico.
The Nuestra Seora de la Salud Church was built by Luis Felipe Neri in the 18th century. The main portal is
in Churrigueresque style with two levels and a crest in the shape of a large seashell. The church served as the
chapel of the Colegio de San Francisco de Sales next door.[31] The Colegio de San Francisco de Sales was as
important as the college of San Ildefonso in Mexico City in the 18th century.[3] Both Ignacio Aldama and Ignacio
Allende attended school here. Very close in the same complex is the Plaza Civica or Civic Plaza. This plaza
was originally constructed in 1555 and was supposed to be the original center of the town. It is next to the Plaza
de la Soledad and served as the main marketplace.Today, it has a equestrian statue of Ignacio Allende which
dominates it.
The Biblioteca Pblica or Public Library serves as the community center for San Miguel's large foreigner
population. This library was established by Helen Wale, a Canadian, who wanted to reach out to local children. It
is the largest privately funded, publicly accessible library in Mexico with the second largest English language
book collection. The library offers free English classes for children and the "Club de Amigos" so that Mexicans
and foreigners can know one another.
Parque Jurez or Juarez Park. This park was established at the beginning of the 20th century on the banks of
a river in French style with fountains, decorative pools, wrought iron benches, old bridges and footpaths.
important market is the Mercado de Artesanias, which sells a wide variety of items such as those made from
wool, brass, paper mache and blown glass. There are also piatas, tin lanterns, silver jewelry and more. One
figure that features prominently on merchandise is that of a frog, as the state's name of Guanajuato means
"place of frogs".
The Casa de Inquisidor (Inquisitors House) is located between Hernandez Macias and Hospicio streets. It was
built in 1780 with an elaborate French facade and was the seat of the inquisition in the late 18th century
The Angela Peralta Theater was originally designed to host opera. It was inaugurated in 1873 with a
performance by the most famous soprano of Mexico at that time, Angela Peralta. Today, it still hosts a variety of
musical events such as the Jazz Festival and the Chamber Music Festival.

Other cultural venues include the Otra Cara de Mexico (a small private museum which has a large number of
masks from Mexico's traditional cultures). the bullring (On Calle de Recreo, constructed at the end of the 19th
century) and the Museo de la Esquina (dedicated to traditional Mexican toys. Its collection comes from all parts
of the Mexican Republic, which was gathered over 50 years' time). The Fabrica La Aurora is an old textile mill
that has been converted into galleries and shops selling art, furnishings and antiques; it has a lot of open space
along with a caf and restaurant.[
ATOTONILCO.- With only 597 people as of 2005, Atotonilco (formally Sanctuary of Atotonilco) is not the largest
community in the municipality, but it is the best known due to its religious sanctuary, which has World Heritage
Site status. The sanctuary is located fourteen km outside of the main town and dates from the 18th century. It is
the church from which Miguel Hidalgo took the Virgin of Guadalupe standard for his army. All of the wall and
ceiling space is completely covered with little empty space. This mural work was done by Miguel Antonio
Martnez de Pocasangre over thirty years.

El Charco del Ingenio.- El Charco del Ingenio is located outside of the town is an ecological reserve
and botanical garden which is privately funded. It is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of
Mexican flora and propagates species in danger of extinction.[48] The reserve is centered on a canyon, at
the bottom of which is a fresh spring which forms a natural pool. The canyon was the center of a number of
myths and legends during the pre-Hispanic period.[49] There are the remains of a colonial era aqueduct and
other waterworks on the property. There are opportunities for mountain biking, rock climbing, bird watching,
camping and horseback riding
ATOTONILCO.- lugar de agua caliente comunidad rural sanmiguelense ubicada a 15 minutos orientacin norte
sobre la carretera a Dolores Hidalgo, es el sitio donde se ubica el Santuario de Jess de Nazareno, dicho lugar es
considerado una de las Iglesias ms bellas de todo Mxico, a la que tambin la gente la llama la Sixtina de Amrica,
obra majestuosa atribuida al Padre Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro y al artista plstico Antonio Martnez de Poca sangre .

Fundado por el padre Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro en el ao de 1740 quien se inspir para su edificacin en el
Santo Sepulcro ubicado en Jerusaln. Este Santuario dedicado a Jess Nazareno, fungi como casa de
Ejercicios Espirituales de San Ignacio de Loyola.

Patrimonio Cultural de la Humanidad por la Unesco, se ubica desde su fundacin, en 1740 (siglo XVIII)
contina siendo un lugar de adoracin y peregrinaje. Su gran atractivo arquitectnico ha sido
cuidadosamente restaurado durante los ltimos diez aos.
Cuenta con pinturas y frescos de gran relevancia, adems de tesoros de escultura barroca y dos leos que
ilustran y comparan las similitudes entre los paisajes de San Miguel de Allende y de Jerusaln . Adems, este leo es
uno de los registros histricos ms antiguos de la traza urbana de la Villa de San Miguel el Grande.
El primer estandarte de la guerra de Independencia fue tomado de su altar principal por el Cura Hidalgo,
un lienzo de la Virgen de Guadalupe
La fachada del edificio es lisa, con muros muy altos rematados por una arcada invertida. Al entrar al templo el contraste
es impactante: la nave principal y todas las paredes estn decoradas con pinturas murales que representan infinidad de
pasajes y personajes religiosos.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Miguel_de_Allende

PERSONAJES ILUSTRES
Ignacio Allende
Ignacio Aldama
Juan Aldama
Pedro Vargas
Juan Jos de los Reyes Martnez (El Ppila)

14 de Septiembre de 2014, mensaje libertario de aquella madrugada en Septiembre de 1810, donde Don Ignacio Prez, alcaide de
Quertaro, fue enviado por Doa Josefa Ortiz de Domnguez a dar aviso al Capitn Ignacio Allende, que la conspiracin
Independentista haba sido descubierta